Fair election in Mindanao 'unlikely'

A priest in the Muslim majority city of Marawi in the southern Philippines believes Â holding honest and fair elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is a â€śtall orderâ€ť.

â€śFirst, we need to know how people perceive elections,â€ťÂ said Father Teresito Soganub, vicar general of the Prelature of Saint Mary, Â adding that past elections witnessed massive vote-buying and violence despite efforts by Church and civic groups to ensure clean polls.

Supporting proposals to postpone polls slated for this year until 2013 the priest said, â€śLocal people should clearly define the meaning of elections in their region.â€ť

It is important so that people will understand how democracy works, he said.
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